Marry Me, Evans
by HP-Forever-XX
Summary: Entry for Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Season 2, Finals Round 1 - James Potter has made the ultimate life decision - asking Lily for her hand in marriage! In a moment of desperation, he turns to the Marauders for advice on just how to ask the all-important question, quite forgetting Sirius Black isn't exactly the most experienced when it comes to matters of the heart


**Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Season 2 – Finals Round 1**

**Team: **Holyhead Harpies  
><strong>Position: <strong>Captain  
><strong>Task: <strong>Include the line, "Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in... _sure_ sure?"

* * *

><p><span><strong>Marry Me, Evans<strong>

"Jesus Christ, Padfoot, keep it down you idiot!"

Sirius seemed startled to have his heartfelt wailing cut short, and feigned hurt at James' words. "I was serenading you!" he protested.

"Is _that_ what you call it?" Remus asked drily. "I've heard _cats_ howling that sounded better than that."

"A cat? Seriously, Moony? A _cat_!? You insult me!"

Remus sighed. "Would you prefer me to say dog?" he suggested.

Sirius gave a sharp nod of his head. "Yes. Yes, I would."

"All of you, cut it out!" James hissed, slicing his arms through the air in a gesture meant to silence them. His heart was pumping with a combination of both fear and adrenaline with what he was about to tell them, but he needed their undivided attention first.

"Why?" Peter asked innocently – his first words since they'd arrived.

Sirius deliberately glanced towards the ajar door of James' bedroom and broke out into a smirk. "He's worried we'll wake Evans up."

"Lily isn't here!"

"Oh, _sure_...

"She isn't!"

"Where _is_ Lily?" Remus asked curiously, looking around the apartment as though she were bound to appear at any moment.

"I told you she isn't here!" James was getting impatient and frustrated now.

"Why not?" Sirius demanded.

James blinked in confusion. "Well, why would she be? She doesn't live here, you know."

"I just assumed now we were out of Hogwarts you two would be succumbing to those seven years of sexual tension we all had to suffer through."

Three different things happened. Peter went red and stared down at his shoes, James seemed torn between wanting to both slap and high-five his best friend, and Remus said in a shocked voice, "Sirius! That's disrespectful – Lily was head girl!"

Sirius looked amused and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, my naive Moony," he chuckled. "James was head boy and we never respected him!"

"Yes, but still –"

"SHUT UP!" James screamed, finally losing it. "All of you just shut up and listen to me for _one_ minute!" His chest was rising and falling with each heavy breath. The remaining marauders all fell silent, looking deeply apologetic.

"Sorry, James," Remus mumbled.

"So, what _is_ this about?" Sirius demanded, brightening up again. "'Cause I've got important stuff to do, y'know!"

James narrowed his eyes. "Like what, exactly?"

Sirius folded his arms smugly and responded with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Leaky cauldron... business," he said mysteriously.

"You mean you're chatting up drunk girls," Peter said under his breath. Sirius neither denied nor confirmed what his 'business' at the Leaky Cauldron was.

"Look, we've been out of Hogwarts for two months now," James went on, ignoring their former comments. "And... bad times are coming." Remus cast his eyes down sadly, whilst Peter shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

Sirius, as usual, seemed disinterested. "This isn't going to be some sappy, motivational crap, is it? 'Cause Prongs I love you and all that, but you can leave that for Lily."

James' chest tightened at the mention of her name. "The reason I wanted to talk to you all... is about Lily, actually. The reason I called you over today was because I want to ask your advice on something."

Sirius broke out into his playful bad-boy smirk again, and slapped a hand down onto James' shoulder in a brotherly way. "Oh, Prongs," he teased, "if it was _bedroom_ advice you wanted you should have just called me straight away. I mean, I'm no expert, but I bet I know _exactly_ what Lily's –"

"I want to marry Lily!" James burst out, eyes wide, before Sirius could go any further. Then more calmly, yet with deep certainty he said, "I love her. I know we're young, but I love her and I know there's no-one else out there for me." He took a shaky breath. "I want to ask her to marry me."

Sirius retracted his hand like James had just announced he had some sort of contagious disease. Peter was white with shock – the very notion of asking a woman to marry him! Remus, the most sensible of the four, looked stunned. After the initial shock of it all, his face fell into a concerned frown.

Sirius could do nothing but gawp at his best friend, as though all of a sudden he was nothing but a stranger to him. "_Marry_ Evans?" he asked for certification. "You want to ask Lily to _marry_ you?"

"Yes," James said confidently. "I've been thinking about it a lot," he admitted, straightening his glasses in a bashful way.

"Marriage?" Peter squeaked, but nobody paid him any attention.

James looked to Remus, the one he trusted to give him the most sensible response. He seemed hesitant. "Are you sure about this, James? I mean, have you thought it all through properly? It's just... you're so young, and you and Lily haven't been dating for _that_ long."

"But I love her!" he cried in defence. "I've loved her for years now and I'll love her until the day I die! And for all we know," he added quietly, "that could be a lot sooner than expected". The four young men all glanced downwards, reflecting on the approaching dark times. It was inevitable, after all. Dumbledore had already entrusted them into the Order of the Phoenix.

"Is that really such a good reason for getting married though?" Remus asked. "Because of the possibility that there might not be another chance?"

"I can't think of any better reason!" James said stubbornly.

Remus sighed. Reasoning with James Potter had never been an easy task, especially when he had his mind set on something. "Then what about Lily?" he tried desperately. "Have you considered how she'll react to any of this?"

James narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying she doesn't love me? That she wouldn't want to marry me?"

"I've no doubt that Lily loves you. It's just... it's such a huge step. _Marriage_ is a big commitment, James."

"Don't lecture me about commitment!" he cried. "I'm not Sirius – I've been faithfully in love with Lily since I was fifteen! I _know_ what this means. I _know_ it's a huge step. But I'm ready for it." He puffed his chest out as if to emphasise his point.

"What do you think?" he demanded, rounding on Peter.

The mousy boy let out a terrified squeak. "I –" But that was it.

"Sirius?"

Sirius seemed to snap out of his daze immediately. He had been lost in a haze of confusion, trying to make sense of exactly what James had just announced. All the light-hearted playfulness had been drained from it. It was only in rare times when they saw the elusive 'serious Sirius' and this was one of them.

He regarded James with grave sincerity, staring deep into his eyes, trying to convey as much meaning as possible. "You really want to marry Evans?" he asked.

James matched his friend's sincerity in his own expression. "I honestly do."

Sirius placed a hand on each of James' shoulders, deepening the gaze. "Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in... _sure_ sure?"

James very nearly laughed, but he forced himself to be as serious as the other boy was being. "Positive."

Sirius nodded for a while, letting the words sink in, and then he was pulling a startled James into his arms, enfolding him in a bear hug and thumping him on the back. "Then I'm in!" he cried enthusiastically, though it was somewhat muffled by the embrace. With as much force as he'd reeled him in with, he was suddenly forcing him back, holding him at arm's length and giving him that same meaningful gaze.

James was alarmed.

"I get to be Best Man, right? _Right!?_"

James burst into laughter. "Lily hasn't said yes yet," Remus reminded them.

"Dibs on planning the stag party!" Sirius roared with excitement, completely ignoring Remus. "STAG! Prongs – _stag_!" And the old Sirius was back, giddy with excitement, laughing uproariously at his own humour.

James looked just as thrilled. "So you'll really support me?" he asked uncertainly, almost as though he couldn't quite believe it. "You're not going to tell me I'm making a huge mistake? That I'll be giving up a life of girls and freedom and general bachelor-ness?"

"Oh _please_, we can't _all_ live like me."

James couldn't help but grin, a deep genuine grin from ear to ear. "Moony?" he asked, the smile being replaced with a look of worry.

"It pains me to say it," Remus said, "and by Merlin's beard I hope Lily forgives me but..." he sighed, "I will support you, James."

James pumped a fist into the air with excitement. And without really noticing or caring that Peter hadn't spoken up and pledged his allegiance, said, "Well, that was the easy part. Now all I need is to get Lily to say yes..."

They all reflected on the problem at hand, lost in thoughtful silence. Until finally Remus asked, "Have you at all considered how you might ask her? Or even _when_?"

James blinked. "Well, I'll probably say a load of romantic crap and then, like, get down on one knee."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Lily's a lucky girl," he muttered under his breath.

"I've got it!" Sirius announced with a snap of his fingers. "None of the romantic drivelling – she'll see right through that, and Merlin knows you're bound to screw it up."

"Hey!" James said reproachfully.

"Evans isn't like normal girls," he went on. "She _knows_ you – she doesn't want romance! She wants straight-to-the-point, no-messing-around honesty. Don't do one of those flaky little speeches. Just give it to her, straight-up!"

"What exactly are you suggesting?" James asked suspiciously.

Sirius looked thoughtful for a second and then, startling them all, dropped down onto both knees, stretching out clasped hands before James and crying, "Marry me, Evans!"

"Isn't that a bit... _desperate_?" Peter offered.

Sirius got back to his feet, brushing his clothes down as though it has been the most casual thing in the world. "He _is_ desperate – just look at him!"

James glared at him. "I am _not_ going to do that."

"I would certainly advise against such a, err, _dramatic_ approach," Remus suggested. "Though Lily certainly isn't like most other girls, I don't think a bit of romance would go too unappreciated..."

"James doesn't know _how_ to do romance!" Sirius protested. "Look at the botch job he made of actually getting Lily to go out with him after what, four years?"

"Ok, look, thanks for the advice and all that," James said sarcastically, cutting in, "but I think I can handle this by myself, ok? Lily Evans is about to be wooed! And for your information, I _can_ do romance!"

* * *

><p>"It's beautiful!" Lily gasped, the sunlight bouncing off of her hair, making it gleam like fire. A look of awe had spread across her face at the sight of the lake, glistening in the autumn sunlight. Crisp brown leaves were beginning to fall from the trees, but the grass itself was still green and lush, harmonising beautifully with the golden sun as it hung in the cloudless, opal sky.<p>

"It's, err, it's not the only thing," James said, nervously running his hand over the small box that resided in his coat pocket, just checking it was still there.

Lily dragged her gaze away from the beautiful vision of the lake to grin at him. She was truly beautiful. He let out a shaky breath.

"Lily, he began awkwardly, taking both of her gloved hands in his own. "I, err..."

Her grin melted into a frown. "Is everything ok?" she asked, concerned.

"Everything's great!" James assured her. "More than great – in fact, it's wonderful! Delightful! Simply, err... splendid!"

The concern only deepened. "You're acting... strangely."

He gulped. "I'm just – well – you make me nervous," he said pathetically.

She looked amused by this. "I make you _nervous_?" she echoed.

There was an irritating lump in his throat that he was struggling to remove. "Lily," he said again, trying to force confidence into himself. "I love you. You know that, right?"

She blushed, her cheeks turning as red as her hair. "I was certainly hoping that was the case," she laughed.

"Why?" he asked stupidly.

A confused giggle escaped her lips. "Well, I suppose because _I_ love _you_."

He perked up at that. "Great! That's – that's really great!"

She laughed again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," he announced, actually beginning to relax. He needed to stop delaying but oh, why was this so difficult!? "Ok," he took a deep breath. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Lily," he announced for the third time. "We've, err, we've been dating for about a year now, and I – I know we're young," he stuttered, "but I've known for a while that I love you, and that... that I will always love you."

She didn't say anything; only blushed again in that adorable way that she did. _This was it_, James thought. _Get down on one knee_. _Say it now!_

But something in the background glimmered and caught his eye. Looking beyond Lily and her frame of beautiful auburn hair, he saw, to his disbelief, a rowing boat making its way across the centre of the lake, with three distinct figures sat in it, seemingly observing the couple with great interest. Three very familiar figures, James thought furiously.

"Oh, for goodness sake," he hissed under his breath.

Lily looked alarmed. "What?"

"Huh? Oh – nothing! No, I just thought I saw something, but I was –" he gulped, letting his eyes wander back to the rowing boat, "– I, umm, I was mistaken."

"Well what was it?" Lily asked, panicked.

James waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, just a dog... a filthy, disgusting, _mangy_ dog that doesn't know how to keep out of other people's business!" he spat through gritted teeth. "But, err, where were we?" he asked nervously.

Lily was observing him with yet more concern. "You were saying something about being in love with me," she prompted.

"Oh – right – yes!" He cleared his throat again. "So, I err..." He was nervously bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, constantly distracted by the rowing boat, always there in his peripheral vision. How was he supposed to be relaxed _now_!? He was going to kill Sirius when he next saw him...

He focused his attention back on Lily. "I want to... I want to..." What was Sirius doing now? Making some kind of gesture? James couldn't tell if he was offering a thumbs up or else some obscene gesture.

"What?" Lily Prompted. "You want to _what_?"

He tried to force Sirius and the Marauders from his mind. "I want to bed you!" he cried out desperately.

"_What!?_"

"Wed you! I – I meant _wed_ you, I swear!" Now _he_ had gone as red as her hair. "Lily, please," he begged, the appalled look of alarm on her face unsettling him greatly. "I... want..." he said weakly. He took one more glance at the rowing boat full of Marauders, one more glance at the disgusted look on Lily's face, and finally cried in despair, "Oh, forget it!"

Throwing away all of his dignity, all of his class, and all of his futile attempts at being romantic, he dropped down onto both knees, stretched out clasped hands before Lily and cried out in the most humbling, desperate voice a man was capable of, "Marry me, Evans!"


End file.
